Since the invention of the wheel, humankind has been driven to improve the way we travel, always trying to better, faster, and stronger. The How It Works Book of Amazing Vehicles exhibits the finest inventions in the world of transport, documenting iconic vehicles throughout history and providing a sneak peek at what is to come in the future. From the first Ford to the fastest of fighter jets, …
In the context of one day in the Altiplano, introduces the animals and plants that live in this mountainous terrain, describing their characteristics, behavior, and daily activities.
The human body is truly an amazing thing. Capable of awe-inspiring feats of speed and agility, while being mind-blowing in complexity, our bodies are unmatched by any other species on earth. In this new edition of the Book of the Human Body, we explore our amazing anatomy in fine detail before delving into the intricacies of the complex processes, functions and systems that keep us going. For i…
More than three decades ago, Frank White coined the term “Overview Effect” to describe the cognitive shift that results from the experience of viewing the Earth from space and in space, from orbit or on a lunar mission. He found that with great consistency, this experience profoundly affects space travelers’ worldviews—their perceptions of themselves, our planet, and our understanding o…
Animal Magic highlights the ways many people get the most out of life by being around or caring for animals and pets. However, not everyone enjoys being around animals and people’s individual choices should always be understood and respected. Animal Magic gives examples of animals enhancing the quality of life of children and adults. People experiencing care have told us that being around ani…
Sociolinguistic research in the 1950s and 1960s had shown how people change the degree of formality of their language as a function of the social contexts in which they find themselves. This was explained in terms of social norms dictating language use. In other words, we should speak very softly and respectfully here, but we can be more boisterous and casual there. Communication (or speech) ac…
The Pacific ‘grass skirt’ has provoked debates about the demeaning and sexualised depiction of Pacific bodies. While these stereotypical portrayals associated with ‘nakedness’ are challenged in this book, the complex uses and meanings of the garments themselves are examined, including their link to other body adornments and modifications. In nineteenth-century Fiji, beautiful fibre skir…